America’s first settlement unearthed in Pensacola

For centuries, the exact location of Tristán de Luna y Arellano’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola — the first multi-year European settlement in the United States — has been a mystery.

Not anymore.

Archaeologists from the University of West Florida announced on Thursday the discovery of one of the most significant historical sites in the nation: the archaeological site of the de Luna settlement, hidden just beneath the surface in the city’s East Pensacola Heights neighborhood.

“Our archaeological team has discovered and can support the statement that the land settlement site of Tristan de Luna has been located within the city limits of Pensacola, Florida,” said Dr. Judy Bense, the university’s current president and founder of its archaeology program. “And we are telling the world today.”

Tom Garner holds an artifact discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

In October, Pensacola native Tom Garner discovered Spanish colonial and Native American artifacts at a privately owned residential lot within view of two previously discovered shipwrecks in Pensacola Bay. The so-called “Emmanuel Point shipwrecks,” located in 1992 and 2006, have also been linked to the de Luna expedition.

The artifacts Garner discovered are definitive evidence of de Luna’s settlement, which lasted from 1559 to 1561 — the earliest multi-year European colonial settlement ever archaeologically identified in the United States. De Luna’s Pensacola settlement predates the Spanish settlement in St. Augustine, Fla. by six years, and the English settlement in Jamestown, Va. by 48 years.

After collecting several artifacts, Garner brought them to the UWF archaeology lab on October 30. Dr. John Worth, associate professor of historical archaeology, is an archaeology and ethnohistory expert and focuses on the Spanish colonial era in the southeastern United States.

“What we saw in front of us in the lab that day was an amazing assemblage of mid-16th century Spanish colonial period artifacts,” said Worth. “These items were very specific to this time period. The University conducted fieldwork at this site in the mid-1980s, as have others since then, but no one had ever found diagnostics of the sort that Tom found on the surface. People have looked for this site for a long time.”

Various artifacts, including Native American beads, have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

With the cooperation and support of residents and property owners, UWF began test excavations at the site was able to recover other artifacts. Archaeologists recovered numerous shards of broken 16th century Spanish ceramics found undisturbed beneath the ground’s surface. They are believed to be pieces of assorted cookware and tableware, including liquid storage containers called olive jars. Small personal and household items were also among the findings — a lead fishing line weight, a copper lacing aglet, and wrought iron nail and spike fragments. Additionally, the team recovered beads known to have been traded with Native Americans. These items are consistent with materials previously identified in the shipwrecks offshore in Pensacola Bay.

The artifacts were linked to the Spanish expedition led by de Luna, who brought 1,500 soldiers, colonists, slaves, and Aztec Indians in 11 ships from Veracruz, Mexico, to Pensacola to begin the Spanish colonization of the northern Gulf Coast in 1559. One month after they arrived, the colony was struck by a hurricane, sinking many of their ships and devastating their food supplies. After two years, the remnants of the colony were rescued by Spanish ships and returned to Mexico.

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

“If the Luna expedition hadn’t been devastated by a massive hurricane and had instead achieved its original goal, the reasons and circumstances surrounding the 1565 establishment of St. Augustine might never have happened,” explained Worth. “If Florida had grown as an extension of New Spain through Pensacola on the Gulf Coast to Santa Elena on the Atlantic, the history of the United States itself could have evolved quite differently.”

The winter encampment of Hernando de Soto’s Spanish exploratory expedition to Tallahassee, Florida, from 1539 to 1540, is the only earlier European habitation site positively identified by archaeologists in the southeastern United States. Two earlier Spanish colonial settlements have yet to be found — those of Juan Ponce de León near Fort Myers, Fla., in 1521 and of Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón near Brunswick, Ga., in 1526. However, neither settlement lasted more than a few weeks.

The discoveries made at the site of the Luna settlement signify that the two shipwrecks previously discovered in Pensacola Bay were wrecked at the anchorage for the entire de Luna fleet. The first shipwreck was discovered by the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research, and the second was found by UWF. The second shipwreck is currently being excavated by UWF with the assistance of a Florida Division of Historical Resources Special Category Grant. This new information about the location of the settlement may help UWF archaeologists narrow the field of search for the remaining shipwrecks.

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

With the continued cooperation of residents and property owners, UWF archaeologists will continue to examine the neighborhood to determine the extent and organization of the site.

“The shipwrecks have provided a tremendous insight into the nature of the machinery that brought Spain to the New World and how they operated this entire vast empire,” explained Worth. “In terms of understanding who they were after coming to the New World, this kind of archaeology at the terrestrial site will provide us that window.”

“It’s hard to believe that this opportunity is finally here,” said Worth. “Not only do we know where the site is, but now we get to explore it.”

In order to protect the neighborhood and the integrity of the site, the UWF archaeology program does not plan to disclose the exact location of the Luna settlement. For more information, visit uwf.edu/luna.

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

Mid-16th century Spanish artifacts have been discovered at the site of Tristan de Luna’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola. (University of West Florida/Special to the Pulse)

The fact is that God walked these lands long before anyone else. After all he created it. It belongs to no one. The American Indian says it is not ours we are only care takers. When we die we take nothing with us. So please tread lightly.

The Northern Europeans who came at least 500 years prior to this settlement would likely beg to differ with your findings. Long standing settlements with 3k+ inhabitants and as many as 500 different farms such as Brattahlíð lasted for hundreds of years but had come and gone before the Spaniards were even dreaming of Pensacola. To put it in perspective, the time between the first well-established settlement in Greenland and the founding of this Spanish settlement in Florida was greater than the timespan between today and the founding of this Spanish settlement in Florida.

If you include less well-established “discoveries” and settlements in North America, its beginning to look like everyone beat the central europeans here from the Chinese to the Persians to the Scots.

F McCollum the article states the exact location of Tristán de Luna y Arellano’s 1559 settlement in Pensacola — the first multi-year European settlement in the United States — has been a mystery. I don’t think Greenland is in the United States

Well said, apart from Native Indians,USA is a country of immigrants.None of the first colonisers have much to be proud of, also a shipwreck. landed by default or were they looking for Penascola as first base in the takeover bid. Afraid dont agree that God walked there first, think a big bang may have been a little prior to his time.

“Native Americans” were not native either. They simply migrated here first. Many different nationalities migrated VIA the Berring Strait years prior and grew in size as they spread from the north west to south east where they eventually ran into the Spanish and Europeans and became over run.

We are all in the same boat. Our American Indians were not indigenous, they were the first Immigrants. They fought with others and won (temporarily) land from other tribes before losing same to different groups. Their conquests between each other were as brutal if not more brutal than any European Immigrants. Taking land by conquest has been a part of human nature as far back as prehistory and beyond.

OK folks get your panties out of a wad. It didn’t say no one else had been here it said the first multi year “EUROPEAN” settlement. It’s a grand discovery and I am glad they found it and are able to obtain some artifacts.

Hi thanks for your comment.Would be very interested to know Europeans, from which countries,if any proof of unenforced Europeans, This was a time in which Europe,ie UK,SPAIN,PORTUGAL FRANCE were constantly at war, religions being changed and Royal Marriages used as pawns for peace and territory.What is the story of how they managed to get this mixture of Europeans together for this particular voyage.’ This is not an argument on my part,wouldl be interested in the historical facts,and why its considered so imortant..Look forward to hearing. Happy Christmas !

Also Ted, what is Multi Year supposed to mean,dont state obvious literal meaning,explain,how ,why etc. Just interested!Particularly after in UK they have just reburied,with some pomp,the body of a lost King Stephen,after several hundred years,found underneath a Car Park they were renewing! Regards.

For sure they are European and Spanish from the invasion of South America,lets see the dates,that should verify the facts. If not, Dutch who landed in now the USA prior to the Spanish,but not in the South as far as is known-

Where did the indigenous Indians come from.? Not known as a seagoing people,maybe just moved Northwards fom the Southern landmass. Of course groups fought over land,tribes, how were they formed?Large breakaway families? Are bloodlines of Indians different to each other? Land wars have as you say existed since man stood up to be counted in Africa..Am interested in your facts Thanks.

Some months ago I remember there was a discussion,over the discovery of this settlement,pottery remains etc., and was put down to the fact that there had been a shipwreck and the survivors and varios artifacts came from this incident.hence the settlement.

So happy to see so many experts on this having a lively debate, it leaves me vexed that the entire archeological department at UWF does not bother coming to you for your input on these artifacts or information on North American history… Perhaps because they “might” be a bit more knowledgeable on the subjects?

AMEN John ^^^^^^^. The audacity, lack of manners and sheer ignorance of knowledge within a specialty (such as Contact period colonial American historical archaeology) is mind blowing or numbing. Perhaps ask nice questions instead of behaving as if you had advanced doctoral degrees on the subject? Leave politically correct terms in the trash can where they belong and actually learn something and be pleasant. Great find UWF and good luck with the rest of your field work. It will be fascinating to read the published findings! ??

Isn’t there a Indian mound in Ft Wslton … Approx 40 miles away !!!! The tribes were called timicuan!!! The different tribes and their heritage would be interesting to go sling with the history of Pensacola

Blah blah blah. Typical liberal natterings. There are always winners and losers. The Mongoloids in central America were busy slaughtering and enslaving each other and their own people. The Europeans just joined the games and did it better

Folks, If you read the article you would not have to defend your native American Indian ancestors. They said this was the oldest found multi year established Europ I an settlement. Read the article in its entirety before you come across foolish!

Those asking about the temple mound in Pensacola go to palafox street down town, your standing on it! In the 1800s the city used the temple mound for road fill to make Palafox street. The mound was made mostly from shells which made great road fill it seems.